Training Mission
by Angel Tsuiraku
Summary: A training mission has a woman posing as Quatre's wife, but when Relena Darlain shows up at their hotel, things get a bit more complicated. Terrorists and love triangles...one crazy mission!
1. Rainy Days

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A/N: Well, hi. I'm gonna start off with the disclaimer…ready? Here it comes: I-don't-own-GW-so-don't-sue-it's-not-like-I'm-good-enough-at-writing-GW-to-make-any-money-from-it. There. The nasty part is over.

Now, if you're familiar with my work, you know the drill…just like the 27 other GW fics I've written, this one is non-yaoi. Sorry any yaoi fans, but I find it much easier for myself to write boy/girl fics. BUT I don't have a problem with yaoi, if anyone was wondering.

PLOT--This fic is about a young woman (my O.C. Angel—and don't worry, fans of fics that deal with series'-only characters, because she is the only one) who's undercover pretending to be Quatre's wife, while dating Duo. Yeah, it gets complicated. Anyway, most of the characters you know and love will be here, and even some you don't like. I have plans for Catherine, Dorothy, Sally, Noin, Une, Zechs, Relena, Pagan, the Maganac, and those weird-ass Doctors…so you'll be familiar with most everyone in the fic. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK! Especially if you've got any constructive advice. Yup, even flames are welcome, particularly because it's rainy out today and I'm BLOODY COLD!…eh…flame humor…yeah, I'll work on it. -.- Anyway. Welcome to the zaniest undercover mission in Preventer's history…

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Training Missions

Chapter One: Rainy Days

"_This_ is your house?"

Quatre Raberba Winner hid a grin behind his hand as he escorted Une's latest recruit into his home. 'House' was decidedly an understatement. 'Estate' was a better name for the sprawling mansion-like home that Quatre had inherited from his father. Either way, the young Angel Tsuiraku Kurama seemed appropriately awed, and he smiled down at her to help her relax.

"Yes, this is my home," he replied, taking the lead and heading toward the grand-staircase. It was, Angel decided as she trailed after her partner, the grandest staircase she'd ever seen. Trying to keep her mouth from hanging open, while at the same time trying to take everything in at once, she followed him up the stairs.

"I mean, you actually live here? All by yourself?" she asked, and he glanced at her over his shoulder with another smile.

"Not quite alone. My father hired a full-time staff, and I didn't have the heart to fire them…so they live here and dust…and take ridiculously long vacations when I'm home long enough to do my own laundry and cook my own food. Generally, though," he said with a shrug, "I'm either filling out paperwork or chasing terrorists around space."

Angel smiled ruefully at the last. As Preventers, their job was to put out fires before they began. That was the whole reason behind the crazy training mission that Une had assigned her, the whole reason why she was here with the universe's richest, sexiest, and busiest man.

The plan was simple, the mission easy. Their objective was to pose as a newly-married couple and head to a hotel on L-2, a hotel suspected of harboring several radical colonists who had started the production and trade of illegal arms. While their motives weren't entirely clear, it was easy to guess what the colonists there were up to—supplying other hot-headed, anti-Unification terrorists with the weapons they'd need to launch several minor attacks against the politicians and programs supporting the Unification process. Using a honeymoon as cover, Angel and Quatre were meant to discover whether or not the terrorists were, in fact, hiding there, and whether it would be possible to put a stop to their operation without calling in more troops. If the whole thing was kept quiet, it would go unnoticed to the rest of the world, just as most successful Preventer missions did.

All in all, it was a fairly uncomplicated mission, which was why Lady Une had decided to send in a new recruit. Quatre, a more seasoned member of the Preventers' forces, was there to oversee her and execute field-training if it was needed.

"Excited about the mission?" Quatre asked, cutting into the silence that had fallen between the two. Angel blinked, coming out of her reverie, and paused, considering her answer.

"I guess. Is this generally what the first mission is comprised of?"

Quatre laughed, a pleasantly relaxing sound. "No, generally people don't get to pose as my wife until the third or forth mission," he teased, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, shut up," she shot back, trying hard to fight down her own amusement. "You know what I meant!"

He sobered a little, though a grin remained on his handsome face. He courtly opened the door to her room and followed her into it. He shrugged at her when she turned back to him, still waiting for an answer.

"Generally the first mission is something along these lines, yes. Undercover work is fairly common, considering we want to keep our work as quiet as possible so we don't alarm any citizens—colonists or naturalists."

"Naturalist" was a fairly new term that the colonists used to describe people who were born on or lived on the Earth. Angel, having been born in the Sahara desert to a woman from England and a man from L-4, was a mutt, and mutts weren't trusted by either group. It was for that reason that she'd joined the Preventers' ranks a few months ago.

"How long until we head to the hotel?" she asked.

"Two days. That gives us time to get to know each other. Plus, I'm sure your boyfriend will want to stop by and threaten to kill me if I get any bright ideas while we're gone," he replied, and grinned at her. Duo Maxwell was the other reason Angel had joined the Preventers. He was her boyfriend, and was a part-time Preventer himself. He and Quatre were good friends, considering they'd fought side-by-side through the two devastating Eve Wars. Both the Earth and the colony clusters were still recovering, though the last battle had been fought nearly four years ago.

"I'm sure he will." Angel shrugged, smiling herself. "But don't take him too seriously. I still think he likes you better than me."

Quatre laughed at that, a nice, rich tenor sound. "Maybe, but I seriously doubt that. Too bad he didn't introduce us sooner—you're excellent company. Where is he, by the way?"

"Where else? L-2, trying to help Hilde keep the salvage business running." Surprisingly enough, Quatre reminded her the tiniest bit of Duo. They both laughed a lot, but they both had shadows lingering in their eyes. Both made her feel instantly at ease, and both had very appealing looks. Both worked out enough to maintain beautifully shaped upper and lower bodies. But while Quatre was as funny and charming as Duo, he had real class and very proper manners. Duo's knowledge of etiquette was lacking, and he was a lot more laid back. Also, their appearances were completely separate. Duo liked street-smart clothes—black, on the frayed side, and easy to move around in. He was about 6'2", making nearly four inches taller than the blonde man standing a few paces away from her in the room, and he had vibrant violet-blue eyes and long chestnut hair. The hair he wore in a long, thick braid down his back. He had the look and feel of a true American, especially when his loud bravado and easy-going, prankish behavior were on display.

Quatre, on the other hand, was a gentleman's gentleman. While he most certainly preferred casual clothes, they were of a different caliber than Duo's. He wore light colors—mostly whites, greens, and blues, and dark jeans or khakis. He was fond of tennis shoes, but didn't appear to like hats. When he was working, he looked equally comfortable in a Preventers' jacket as he did in a perfectly tailored, two thousand-dollar suit. He looked devilishly handsome dressed in blue-jeans and a white, buttoned down shirt as he appeared to her today, his aqua-colored eyes vibrant against the light color of his shirt. His hair was cut short, though his bangs had a tendency to fall into his face, and it waved toward the back of his head to end in slight curls at the nape of his neck. He was about 5'10", a nice, even height compared to her admittedly short stature of 5'3". His smile said, "_don't be worried, I'm here,"_ as opposed to Duo's, "_Maybe you should be worried, but that just adds to the fun," _grin. His persona, too, was very definitely different. His aura put one immediately at ease, and everything about him—his posture, his body language, and his calm, confident presence—labeled him as a natural, compassionate leader. Duo, too, had leadership potential, but he had a wild feel to him, unpredictable, dangerous, and sexy. Both men were completely at ease with themselves.

"Yes…that certainly does sound like Duo," Quatre agreed, and Angel started at the sound of his voice, suddenly missing Duo terribly. He eyed her forlorn expression and busied himself with setting her bags near the dresser and straightening the comforter on the bed. "Does it worry you that he spends so much time with her?"

She smiled, dismissing her depressed feelings. "No, I trust him. They've known each other for a while now, and I know he'll be good." Then she nailed him with a mock-suspicious stare. "Why? Should I be worried?"

Rebuked, he grinned sheepishly and shook his head. "No, no, not at all. I was just curious. You're right, you've got nothing to worry about."

He was a far cry from the fifteen-year-old version of him she'd seen in pictures during war-time. He'd matured quite a bit, while Duo had hardly changed at all, apart from his height. It was easy to see why the two men got along so easily, despite the difference in their social status and upbringing.

"Well…I'll leave you here," he said after a moment of silence. "Dinner should be ready in about an hour. There's a bathroom through that door—" he specified the said door with a jerk of his thumb—" and if you need anything, there's an intercom system next to the bed. Just hit the button on the left and call for me. I'll contact Duo so he can come say goodbye before we leave…uhm…the room and the bathroom should be fully stocked. I'll let you get comfortable. I wouldn't bother unpacking too much, since we're leaving so soon, but there's plenty of hot water if you'd like a shower or bath."

She nodded, and flushing at his own awkwardness, Quatre imitated her nod and left her to her own devices. After a moment, she decided that a bath was her best bet, and headed into the insanely large bathroom to soak in the hot-tub sized bathtub. Still, she felt a little depressed with missing Duo, so when the call for dinner came she was all too eager for company to keep her thoughts from him, even if her only company was a rich stranger she'd only known for a few hours.

--

When Angel woke up the next morning, she was dismayed to see that Duo wasn't there. She wandered around the downstairs for a little while before slipping into the kitchen to join her 'husband.' Quatre, picking up instantly on her emotions—a display of his uncanny perceptiveness—was sympathetic. Silently he offered her a plate of waffles and set out syrup and butter—several kinds of each, in fact—then sat across from her at the island in the middle of the kitchen and tried to catch her gaze.

"I'm sorry Duo couldn't make it, but I think I have news that might help you feel a bit better," he said finally. He could see why Duo had been attracted to her. Even when she was unhappy, she was pretty. Though she was short, that aspect only further enhanced her attractiveness. She had clear blue eyes and hair that waved luxuriously to her shoulder blades. Her skin was a pale shade of mocha—very pale, but enough to confirm her Arabian heritage—and she was nicely shaped and curved. Slender, but not disgustingly so, she looked good in just about anything she wore. At the moment, she was in a borrowed shirt—Duo's, he noted—and comfy pants, with her hair in the high bun she'd put it in the night before when she'd gotten ready to relax into sleep. Bereft of makeup, her skin appeared to be flawless, and think black lashes ringed her eyes, enhancing their intensity. Yes, she was right up Duo's ally, and she was witty and smart enough to keep even that wily American guessing. Smiling at the mental picture of his friend and his 'partner' together, he poured her a glass of orange juice.

"News, eh?" she prompted, and he continued to smile, eyes teasing. Deciding to draw it out, he shrugged and very studiously cut up his waffles. Waffles, she'd noticed, that he'd made himself, and judging from the ingredients scattered on the countertops of the kitchen, from scratch. Impressed, especially after living with Duo's cooking skills for a month or so, she scarfed down her breakfast. Moping, she decided, made one hungry. Laughing, he got her a second helping and sat to carefully eat his own breakfast.

"Oh, it's nothing…important. In fact, it probably won't make you feel better at all," he told her innocently, then took another bite of his breakfast and chewed very precisely. Gritting her teeth and getting a firm hold on her knife—something that didn't escape Quatre's notice—she gathered her wits and tried again.

"Well, tell me anyway," she invited, and he smiled at her in boyish charm.

"Certainly—after breakfast."

He was a cruel man for torturing her at such an early hour… With a sigh, she decided—for the time being anyway—to acquiesce to his desires. She ate the second batch of waffles, matching his slow pace, and it wasn't until she was nearly through that she realized what he'd been doing and how well it had worked. She _did_ feel better; more awake, alert, and though slightly ruffled, she even had to admit that she was amused. Cheering her up had been his aim the whole time and his plan had worked beautifully. Blinking at him, she realized she now knew what made him such a brilliant businessman and politician. He caught her gaze and grinned again, obviously realizing that she'd caught on, and turned his eyes back to the paper he'd been reading.

Finally, he rose with cultured grace and began cleaning up after breakfast, something she was sure he had a staff-member to do, though he appeared quite content to do it himself.

"All right," she announced, rising to help him, "what's the news."

"Duo won't be joining us today," Quatre said, bowing to her will easily now that she seemed cheerier, "because he'll be joining us at the hotel on L-2. Une contacted him yesterday and asked him to pose as a hotel employee so we'd have better access to the restricted areas of the hotel."

"Really? That is good news!" Happier now at the prospect of getting to see her boyfriend rather than spending a few weeks without him, she grinned up at her companion.

"Thought you might like that," he agreed with a smile of his own. "Anyway, Hilde offered to let him stay at her place until the mission's over, at which point we'll part company and you two can go back to your happy lives. But remember," he added, shaking a finger at her to emphasize his point, "you and I are supposed to be newlyweds, so no disappearing with the bellhop, got it? We're supposed to be glued together in order for this to work."

"Right, got it. Totally agree," she replied, practically singing. He grinned again, watching her all but dance around the kitchen as she helped him clean, and thought again how pretty she was and what a good couple she and Duo made. In fact, despite the fact that he and Angel had only known each other for about sixteen hours—and eight of those had been spent sleeping in separate rooms—he was even a little jealous of his friend. Still, the fact that Duo had finally found a nice girl made him happy, and he finished up his work with a smile on his face.

"Okay, I'm going to get ready…want to help me pack?" he asked, and she nodded readily, obviously thinking that nothing in the world could possibly go wrong at that precise moment. Chuckling to himself, he pushed her gently toward the stairs. "Good…go get dressed, and I'll take a shower, and then you can meet me in my room to help me pick out some clothes for the mission."

They parted ways at the top of the stairs, and Quatre shook his head as he stepped under the stream of water in his shower. He wasn't worried in the slightest about the mission, though Une's call had put him on his guard a little. She'd phoned him at about midnight to let him know that several other agents would be working on the mission with them, and not just any other agents…no, she'd contacted his four fellow ex-gundam pilots. This indicated that the mission had become a bit more of a priority, considering that the pilots were only ever called in for serious missions. Along with the other pilots, Sally Po would be joining them at the hotel. As co-founder of the Preventers, she was one of the top agents, also used in special circumstances. It didn't take Une long to tell Quatre why the security had been increased, either. Among several other leaders of the Unification project, Relena Darlian-Peacecraft would be heading to the hotel in order to hold several conferences and meetings about the status of the project. Since her announcement of her plan to unify the colonies and Earth, she'd become a prime target for kidnappings, assassinations, and terrorist attacks, all potentially possible if the colonist radicals were, in fact, using the hotel as a base of operations. And, knowing Relena and her stubbornness, as well as her dogged faith in a certain pilot's abilities as a bodyguard, there was no way she'd relocate even after hearing about the potential danger. It was, she'd argued, a contradiction to her beliefs and mannerisms.

Therefor, the security had gone up. Significantly. With a sigh, Quatre reflected ruefully that only danger could bring the gundam pilots back together. Once it had been taken care of, all five of them drifted apart and contacted each other only sporadically. This was always something he regretted, seeing as he enjoyed the company of his old comrades. They were overdue for a reunion anyway. Shrugging to himself, he finished his shower (a/n: yeah, anyone who knows me knows I'm a Quatre-freak, so this scene is like…drool heaven for me…) and got dressed quickly, then called for Angel over the intercom. She, apparently still on her happy kick, bounced into the room and immediately dug into his closet and dresser. Chuckling slightly at her enthusiasm, he barely managed to catch her before she opened his underwear drawer.

"I think I'll handle the more…delicate items," he said teasingly, and she looked up at him with a devilish gleam in her eyes.

"Oh yeah? Why? Embarrassed?" she asked, and—mad at himself for flushing slightly at the comment—he grinned.

"Not at all, but I'm not used to women poking around my underwear."

"Oh, come on," she replied, rolling her eyes, "you've got like…a hundred older sisters."

"Twenty-nine," he corrected cheerfully, and wrapped his hands around her upper arms. He lifted her easily and set her in front of his closet once more. "And even they don't get to see my underwear."

She stuck her tongue out at him, but was obviously amused. In fact, she was usually smiling in his presence, reminding her again of Duo. "I bet that's 'cuz you don't wear any," she muttered halfway under her breath, and in response, one of his eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Think so, eh? Care to have that theory tested?" he asked, reaching for the button on his jeans. Angel paled noticeably and turned her back, eyes wide.

"You've definitely been hanging out with Duo too long…I thought you were the gentleman!"

Quatre laughed, delighted at how easily he could unnerve her. "Relax. I was just messing with you. I wouldn't really take off my clothes…unless we were married."

"Bite your tongue," she muttered, turning back to him, "because tomorrow, we all but will be."

"Oh, right," he agreed cheerily, "I'd forgotten." Though, by the looks of it, he didn't appear to have forgotten. Vaguely torn between amused and exasperated, she rolled her eyes again.

"Sure…" she replied, and plucked the dark blue dress suit from his closet. It wasn't until later, over lunch, that she was reminded of her earlier nervousness at the thought of Duo staying with Hilde. Shrugging it off as nerves about the mission, she reminded herself that she'd see him tomorrow.

--

The shuttle trip to L-2 took a long time, at least in Angel's mind. Hoping to help keep the atmosphere light and friendly, Quatre attempted to start a conversation. After a lot of noncommittal answers, he finally gave up. He pulled out his laptop and resolved himself to catching up with his work. Angel rose and headed to the bathroom after a few moments, murmuring something about freshening up before landing, and disappeared for nearly a half-hour. When she re-emerged, he glanced up and felt his mouth go dry. If he'd thought she was gorgeous before, it was nothing compared to the vision standing before him now. She'd carefully applied makeup to her face, highlighting her large blue eyes so that he felt as if he were drowning in an ocean of pure, clear blue. Her lips glistened with gloss, and her slender body was attractively encased in a large, turtleneck sweater in preparation of the cold of L-2's early December weather. Her legs were long, perfectly shaped, and bare thanks to the shorts she was wearing, though pants lay draped over her armrest. A silver cross on a thin chain hung around her neck, though she was otherwise unadorned. The only downside was her hair. Though she looked beautiful with it in a twist, with little wisps of curls framing her face and brushing her shoulders, he much preferred it down, waving softly down her back. He gulped and looked at the screen of his laptop, gave up after trying to read two words and not comprehending a bit of it, and looked up at her again.

"You look…you look…" He gulped a second time. She smiled at him and settled back into her seat, feeling better. A very soft, very feminine scent reached his nostrils—she obviously daubed some behind her hears and at her throat—and he struggled to remember that she was in a relationship with a very good friend of his and that they were practically strangers.

"Thank you," she said softly, and he nodded. She seemed in a better mood now that she'd freshened up.

"The pants…?" he questioned, trying hard to maintain control of his voice. He felt like a fumbling teenager, though he'd celebrated his twentieth birthday nearly ten months before. And, really, he'd never been a normal teenager, between fighting in two wars and managing a multi-billion dollar company full time.

"For when we land…it's pretty cool on L-2 right now, but it would be a bit warm in here if I put them on now."

It was on the tip of his tongue to comment that it was already warm in the shuttle, but he restrained the urge and put a chokehold on his feelings. Obviously more content, she now attempted to continue the conversation he'd begun when they'd first boarded the shuttle.

"So, Quatre…are you in a relationship?"

"No." Under considerably better control, he managed a normal tone and even a smile. "No, unfortunately, I'm single. I don't have much time for a romantic life, even less to find a woman I'd want to attempt a romantic life with, and the ladies my sisters set me up with are…well, not my type, to put it nicely."

She laughed quietly. "Sorry to hear that. You've got a lot to offer a woman."

For some reason, that struck a chord inside of him. She looked so happy, so pretty, so excited to get back to Duo that for a moment, the jealous feelings he'd been harboring swelled up and he felt snappish and sour.

"As much as Duo?" he asked, cooler than he'd intended. Angel glanced at him in mild surprise.

"Er…yes, of course. You're a good man…are you all right?" she asked, and he took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, and let out a long sigh. "I…don't know what came over me. I apologize."

She shrugged it off and glanced out of the window, looking at the colony. It still appeared to be small, though it was growing steadily. Quatre bitterly wished that they would simply pass it by and head for L-1…not even come into contact with Duo. Then, feeling foolish and disgusted with himself, he turned to his laptop and again attempted conversation.

"How long have you and Duo been going out?"

"Seven months. I moved into the spare room in his apartment last month," she replied, turning those blue eyes on him. He pretended to be absorbed in his work.

"Hmm…that's interesting. I bet it's messy."

"Like you wouldn't believe." Her smile was warm, lost in memory. "And he can't cook, either. His diet is horrible, and I still have piles of laundry to do. It's like…when he runs out of clean clothes, he just buys new outfits rather than doing the laundry."

He grinned, amused. "Sounds like Duo, all right. Have you met any of the other pilots?" She shook her head, intent on him. Still grinning, he shut his laptop and took a trip down memory's lane himself.

"Well, Heero…Heero Yuy, I mean, he's pretty strange. He's from L-1, an orphan apparently. He doesn't talk much, but his eyes…they're really intense. Blue, like yours…and cold, like ice. He's got this messy brown hair and over the past couple of years he got pretty tall, though not as tall as Duo. He's got this inhuman strength. He doesn't even look like he could be that strong. We use to joke that he was made out of steel wire." He laughed. "He was so much stronger than I ever was. And…I used to admire him, how strong he was, but at the same time I was so mad at him for how unfeeling he was toward war. I know he felt every death, I know he hurt very deeply, but he never let it show. It used to really bug me."

She nodded, eyes alight, trying to picture the man she was describing. Seeing that, Quatre pulled out is wallet and showed her a picture of Heero.

"He never smiles, but at least I've got a picture." He flipped over Duo and showed her a tall, handsome man with brown hair in a strange bang over half of his face. The eye that was visible was bright, emerald green, and a slight smile seemed to toy with his lips. She looked at Quatre in question.

"Trowa Barton. Like all of us, he's an orphan. He works at the circus now, with his 'sister' Catherine. He's really quiet, like Heero, but he's a beautiful musician and he's very smart. He's an excellent strategist, but his sister," he added with a laugh, "is so protective. She yelled at me, almost hit me with a bucket when I came looking for him. He's very interesting if he ever does open up. I think you'd like him."

He flipped to another picture, and the man that stared up at her from this one was Chinese, with high cheekbones and beautiful ebony eyes. His hair was tied back into a ponytail. He was smiling a little, hefting a coke bottle in salute to something. He looked tall for a Chinese man, and was obviously in excellent physical condition. He was strikingly attractive.

"Wufei. Chang Wufei. He's a little more talkative than the other two. He's normally very traditional, but this was a birthday celebration for his partner, Sally Po. She took this picture, which is why he cooperated. He's got a good sense of humor, in the rare event that it shows. He's protective and he's a little hard to handle at times, but Sally seems to keep him tame. He's very duty-bound. Very nice guy, though."

She smiled at him. "They sound great. Think Duo will ever get around to introducing me to all of them?"

Quatre chuckled. "If he doesn't, I will," he promised. "You'd better change into those pants and strap in, we're getting close to the colony."

"Good idea." She nodded at him and grabbed her pants. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here."

With one last smile, she disappeared into the bathroom again, and he let out a long sigh. Running a hand through his hair—a habit he'd picked up quickly after taking over his father's company—he glanced out at L-2, now looming in the foreground of the view allotted by the shuttle's window.

"Why is it, Duo," he asked aloud, though the said pilot could not hear him, "that you get all the luck?"

With another sigh, he strapped himself in and waited for Angel to return.


	2. What's the Catch?

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A/N: Hi, welcome to part 2 of my fic. Sadly enough, I still don't own the show…aw well, you can't have everything in live I suppose.

SHOUTOUTS: A big thank you to Horisont, Yukishin and Grandsabre of Hearts for reviewing!!! You were both very sweet, and I really love hearing the opinions of the people who read my work. You guys are AWESOME! If I get the chance to return the favor in the next couple of days, I will!

CHARACTER STATUS: yeah, I focused a lot on Quatre and Angel in the first chapter, but in this chapter it will definitely broaden out. The plan is to bring in the other pilots, Sally, Relena and Dorothy into the story in this chapter, so it'll be a busy one!

INTERACTION: Later, once I've established the characters more and developed the plot a little, I might have a review-pole to see who you guys (the readers) would like to see together. Watch out for that, it should be coming soon.

LAST NOTE: Please continue to review! I'd love to address any questions you guys have, and feel free to comment on any aspect of the story you'd like to. Thanks! Now onto the good stuff…

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Training Missions

Chapter Two: What's the Catch?

"You're kidding me…I get to be carted around in a _limo_ while we're on this mission?" Angel asked incredulously as she and Quatre descended the stairs from the shuttle. Quatre glanced over at her and laughed.

"You expected less?" he questioned, one eyebrow slightly lifted. "Angel, you're now 'married' to the richest man in the universe. We could be carted around in a rose-shaped horse-drawn carriage with our own ride-along string quartet if you wanted."

Flushing, she shook her head. "Oh no, I think the limo will do nicely. Here comes the press," she added, and he turned to follow her gaze. Sure enough, reporters and cameramen swept down on them like carrion birds. It wasn't the crowd Quatre had been expecting, but there were still quite a few of them. Angel tossed a glance his way.

"Thought we were keeping a low profile," she murmured under her breath.

"We are," he told her, wrapping an arm around her waist for show as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "These guys are more than likely waiting for Miss Relena to land. We're just a bonus."

Then, smiling graciously for the reporters' benefit, he led her into the forest of microphones. She clung to his arm, every once in a while catching a glimpse of the limo, waiting patiently to whisk them away to the hotel. Quatre handled most of the questions, effectively cutting her off any time she opened her mouth to answer for herself. Finally, elbowing him slightly in the solar plexus, she stepped forward.

"How long have you known Mr. Winner?" one reporter asked, and Angel flashed the cameras a brilliant smile. Quatre watched, shocked and a little impressed, as she handled the press hounds with ease.

"Seven months," she replied—a little white lie, but the reporters didn't have to know that. Besides, that was about the time when she and Duo started dating. "We met through a mutual friend."

"Does he spend long nights at the office?" This question was from a female reporter, and Angel laughed and tossed Quatre a _look_.

"Sometimes…more often than I like, but I knew going into this relationship that he was a busy man. Still, I'm hoping that once we get pregnant, he'll tone down the work schedule a bit."

"So you're trying?" asked a male, balding reporter, eyeing Angel up and down. She caught the look and tightened her hold on Quatre's arm. Also catching the look, he slid his other arm around her waist and rested his chin on the top of her head in a protective manner, his long pianist's fingers stroking her stomach gently, as though caressing an unborn child.

"Yes. We both want a family, and on the more practical side, Quatre needs a son or two to carry on the family name."

"Have you had a fertility test?" asked another reporter. It was on the tip of Quatre's tongue to politely insist that such personal matters weren't up for discussion when Angel again took charge of the situation.

"I think that Quatre's family tree speaks loudly and clearly about how fertile he is," she replied with a hearty laugh. "After all, he does have twenty-nine older sisters, and most of them have families of their own."

The reporters laughed as well, then turned their attention to the Winner heir.

"You've got a charming new wife, Mr. Winner. Do your sisters approve of your selection in a partner?"

Smiling down at Angel, who was now nestled once more in the crook of his left arm, he nodded and squeezed her gently. 

"Yeah, they do. They're really happy for us." Then, snapping back to reality and realizing that he was running a little late, he offered an apologetic smile. "Now, if you'll please excuse us, we've got a hotel to check into." He tugged Angel gently toward the limo. She blew the reporters a kiss as she was assisted into the car's low backseat and shouted, "Ciao!" And then she disappeared into the car, followed closely by Quatre.

"They look really happy together," murmured one of the female reporters with a romantic sigh. Her cameraman grinned.

"Yeah, they do. Think it'll last?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"Who knows? But this is one of the celebrity marriages that I'm rooting for."

--

Duo Maxwell (a/n: YAY! I've been waiting to write a Duo scene!) waited patiently in front of the hotel for Quatre's limo to arrive…or…not so patiently, he admitted, fingering his braid. He couldn't wait to see Angel again, and he was also curious to hear what Quatre thought about her. Plus, he wanted to introduce her to the other pilots, since—for once—they were all gathered in the same place. Or would be, as soon as Quatre arrived. Impatiently, Duo glanced at his watch for the third time in fifteen minutes and wondered where they were. He was a little jealous of Quatre's roll in the mission, but realistically, Quatre was the only pilot out of the five of them that could afford the hotel. So, here he was, dressed in a busboy's uniform and nervously awaiting the arrival of his Angel. After a few moments, the limo appeared from around a corner and pulled smoothly up to him. He took the valet's key from the driver to pop the limo's trunk as the footman floated forward to assist Quatre and Angel out of the oversized car. With easy grace, Duo loaded the luggage cart and bowed slightly to his girlfriend and old buddy.

"Allow me to escort you to your suite," he said formally, and led them, still pushing the cart, inside.

Quatre had to give Angel credit. Though she obviously wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Duo's arms after their two-week separation, she restrained herself and walked arm-and-arm with him to the elevator. He sighed, again feeling jealous of his braided friend. He decided he needed a girlfriend of his own to keep his thoughts away from Angel—maybe a girlfriend with wavy, brownish-blonde hair and deep, blue eyes…

Cursing himself for his traitorous thoughts, he allowed her to proceed him as they entered the elevator, then followed. He pulled her against his side as the doors slid shut, clearly aware of the elderly gentleman riding in the elevator with them. Duo stood like a statue, silent and expressionless, gazing sightlessly at the mirrored doors before him. Angel nestled herself back into the crook of Quatre's left arm—her favorite spot, he suspected—and let her eyes slip shut to mask her silent frustration.

"Almost there," Quatre whispered to her, leaning down close to her ear to prevent the elderly gentleman from overhearing. She smiled thinly, not bothering to open her eyes. Duo was so close, but if her were a million miles away he couldn't be further. He'd been on L-2 for two weeks before her own arrival at the colony, trying to sort out the business he shared with his old flame Hilde. During that time, Angel had missed him terribly.

Finally, finally the elevator toned and the mirrored doors slid open to reveal the richly decorated hall of the hotel's top floor. Duo again took the lead. Quatre took Angel's hand and they followed Duo to the suite. Angel wobbled a little when she saw the size of the suite—two floors, with a huge living-room type area downstairs along with a kitchenette, three overstuffed couches, and the biggest flat-screen TV she'd ever seen—but quickly got a hold of herself. Quatre shut the door and closed the blinds over the floor to ceiling windows that lined the west side of their room, then turned to his friends and nodded. Even before he'd finished the movement they were in each other's arms, hugging fiercely. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed deeply, inhaling her scent. Feeling intrusive and envious, as well as a little embarrassed to be witnessing such a private moment, Quatre climbed the stairs to the suite's second floor, where the bedroom and bathroom—complete with a Jacuzzi—were located. He flopped down on the bed and tried not to listen to his friends' animated conversation, then tried even harder to stop envisioning the two of them kissing. He'd almost drifted to sleep when Duo shouted up at him. Slowly, slightly groggy, he descended the stairs.

"I've got to do my rounds again, but why don't you introduce Ang to the other guys?" the American suggested, and Quatre nodded with a sleepy smile.

"Sure, Duo, you've got it. The others are here all ready?"

Duo nodded. "Yeah. I left their room numbers by the phone, so you can call them up here if you want. Wu-wu's in kind of a bad mood—something about Sally, I'll bet—but he should cheer up with you around." He turned to Angel. "Bye, baby," he murmured, and she hugged him one last time. He smiled at her wryly. "Be good for Quatre, okay?"

She snorted, poking him lightly in the chest. "Look who's talking," she replied, and he grinned.

"That's why I love ya, babe…you've got a great sense of humor. See you later."

With that, he was bouncing toward the door, and seconds later Quatre and Angel were alone once more. Quatre stared at her awkwardly for a moment, suddenly unsure of himself in a way he never had been before. Her eyes peered into his, as if she were trying to see something deep inside of him, but before she could come to any conclusions he turned away.

"I'll…call the others," he said quietly, and headed for the phone. Angel watched him go, then shook her head and began a small exploration of their two-story suite, wondering why he'd looked so uncomfortable…

--

The three men were exactly as Quatre had described them, and they all topped her in height by at least nine inches. Trowa was especially tall, reaching nearly 6'5", which made him over a foot taller than her. Still, even though she had to crane her neck to look at them all, she took an immediate liking to each of them. Heero was quiet but interesting, his silence only serving to make him more intriguing. He sat in a corner where he could clearly view both the windows and the door, and he had an alertness that she found absolutely fascinating. Trowa had a nice smile when it was coaxed into existence, and he was very knowledgeable on many different subject matters. He had a calming presence, sort of a brotherly feel to his persona that made Angel smile. Wufei also held allure over her. His views reminded her of those of her father, and he had a warm laugh and a quick tongue. The days he'd spent in study in his younger years had clearly paid off, for there were few people Angel knew that were more intelligent than she found him to be.

"How are you liking the mission so far?" Trowa asked. Quatre smiled to himself, realizing that Angel had the same effect on all of them. She was so open and easy going that even Trowa felt comfortable enough to start a conversation with her.

"There hasn't been a lot to do yet, but I think I'll manage," she replied with a smile. "Still, I dunno…living with Winner for a few weeks…"

Wufei snorted, eyes intent upon her. "This coming from a woman who spent the past month living under the same roof as Duo Maxwell?"

She laughed and nodded. "Point taken. It ought to be a nice vacation."

Even Heero seemed slightly amused. He'd been the butt of many of Duo's practical jokes, so he could relate.

"How serious are you and Duo?" he asked. Quatre felt a pang in his chest at this. It was a question he'd been wanting to ask himself, except for he was afraid of the answer. He chanted the word _stranger_ in his head and waited to hear her response.

She shrugged, seeming a little uneasy. "How serious does anyone get with Duo?" she retorted, but smiled a little. "I think there's hope, if that's what you mean, but there's no deep commitment, either. Still, I like him very much."

"And he seems to like you," Quatre added, smiling at her reassuringly. Eager for the conversation to shift away from that particular genre, he turned to Trowa. "How's your sister doing?"

"Good. She's here, by the way," he added, directing the latter comment toward Angel, "if you'd like some female company. She's in the suite next to mine." He jotted down the number for her, and she thanked him warmly.

"Should have guessed," Wufei commented. "That woman never lets Trowa go anywhere alone, even if it means putting herself into danger."

"Hell hath no fury like a sister's wrath," Quatre agreed knowingly, and Angel laughed.

"I bet you're the expert," she tossed in, and he smiled ruefully.

"What? My sisters love me."

Wufei snorted again, but didn't comment, and Trowa's lips twitched into a smile. Heero smirked slightly.

"Sure, Winner," he said, his voice still monotone, and Trowa chuckled at the flatness of the comment.

The conversation drifted to several different topics before settling onto the mission at hand. It was then that Angel's suspicions had been confirmed: the mission was a little more complicated than it had been at first.

"Miss Relena should be arriving this afternoon, correct?" Quatre asked, and Heero nodded.

"Correct, at which point I will join her and head her security staff."

Trowa nodded. "I'll be handling the hotel's security, with Duo's help," he said. Wufei glanced at them both.

"Sally and I will be in touch with the local law enforcement, as well as running the primary investigation. You and Ms. Kurama here are to continue with your original plan."

Angel nodded, indicating her understanding. "So, Relena's coming here to hold some meetings and you guys are worried that the terrorists might make a move, right?"

"Right," Heero confirmed.

"Still a piece of cake?" she questioned, and the four young men exchanged looks.

"Well, we certainly hope so," Quatre answered, and stood. "Now, why don't we go downstairs to wait for Miss Relena?"

--

The wait was longer than expected, though Quatre suspected this was due to the ever-present throng of reporters that followed the Vice Foreign Minister's every move. The others were spread casually around the lounge, enjoying the warmth of the fire in the hearth. The temperature was cool, especially compared to L-4's weather. Angel leaned against Quatre and yawned quietly, her senses dulling under the double warmth of him and the fire. His arm was slung loosely around his shoulders and he was absently playing with her hair, thoughts far away. Heero was sprawled out unceremoniously in a chair, and across from him sat Trowa, who was gazing deeply into the fire. Wufei was picking at a loose string on his jacket, obviously bored. They were on the verge of giving up in search of food when Relena glided in after Duo, looking only slightly flustered.

"Oh good," she said warmly, "you're all here."

The men stood to greet her, and Angel felt cold as Quatre pulled away. She stood too, feeling a little rumpled and disorganized compared to the woman smiling and hugging each of the pilots in turn. Trying desperately to smooth her hair and straighten her clothes, she accepted Relena's firm handshake and nodded in greeting.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Relena," she said formally, and the other woman laughed.

"And you as well, Ms. Kurama, though there's no need to be so formal," Relena assured her, and Angel flashed a little smile.

"I won't if you don't," she agreed, and turned as several other joined them. The others were all woman, tall and beautiful, and Angel wondered if everyone Duo and Quatre knew were supermodels. Beside her, she felt Quatre stiffen slightly as his gaze fell onto one woman in particular.

He didn't know why he was surprised to see her, really. Dorothy Catalonia had faithfully accompanied Relena on her business trips for several years, and yet the sight of her still brought a jolt to him. His hand unconsciously traveled to the scar on his lower abdomen, hidden by clothes to the eyes but not to the heart. Still, when she met his gaze her expression was mild.

"Quatre Raberba Winner," she said with a nod, and he swallowed and returned the gesture, butterflies still flitting around his stomach.

"Hello, Miss Dorothy."

Angel glanced back and forth between the two of them, then shook her head and gave up trying to guess. More than likely, either Duo or Quatre would tell her later. Convincing herself not to worry over it, she examined the other newcomers.

Sally Po cut a striking figure in her Preventers outfit. The jacket fit her nicely, and her eyes were very vividly blue. Wufei was at her side immediately, and Angel was amused to note that he was only an inch or two taller than her. They made a very attractive couple, though she'd caught no indication that there was anything romantic between the two. She teased Duo a bit, smiled at Heero almost sarcastically, and inquired about Trowa's sister. She and Quatre shook hands warmly, his earlier discomfort forgotten as Sally said hello. Like Angel, she was a mutt.

Then there was Dorothy, whom Angel took an instant aversion to. There weren't many people who made Angel acutely uncomfortable, but this girl was one of them. Not only that, but she looked like a poster girl for Vogue, all tall, slender and curvy, with impossibly long blonde hair and icy blue eyes.

Beside them was a brunette that reminded Angel vaguely of Hilde. She had fair skin and dark eyes, and a slight smile toyed with the corners of her mouth when Quatre greeted her as "Miss Noin." She waved off his formalities and seemed as comfortable with them all as Sally and Relena were.

"It's good to be together again," Relena announced, and there were murmured agreements. Then the Minister pulled Angel to the center of the group and introduced her formally to the other ladies. "This is Angel, she's working with Quatre on this mission."

Her hand was given several firm shakes from each of the women, and she smiled slightly.

"Good to meet you all," she said, and the ten of them proceeded up to the suite she and Quatre shared.

--

By evening the formal plan was worked out, and they all sat together for a gourmet dinner. In the privacy of the suite, Angel was allowed to sit next to Duo, but she noted that Relena had arranged the seating so that Quatre was placed oh her other side. He seemed unperturbed by this development, so she shrugged it off and dug in. Catherine Bloom, Trowa's older sister, had joined them just before their meal, and she was chatting lightly with Quatre about the circus and some of Trowa's doings. Quatre was all ears when she told a story about a mishap with the lions, and Trowa good-naturedly allowed his sister to embarrass him without comment. Despite what he'd told her was a rough meeting, Quatre and Catherine seemed quite at ease with each other. Catherine was another beauty, with curly bronze-colored hair that glinted in the light. Her eyes were a dusky purple color and lit up easily when she spoke, especially when the subject matter was her brother. Across from them sat Relena and Heero, also locked in a conversation though, because of Heero's aversion to speaking, Relena did most of the talking. Still, he seemed content enough.

Angel's gaze flicked over to Wufei and Sally. She was becoming used to the sight of them quietly debating with each other, and the dinner table was no exception. He was arguing with her about her attending Relena's meetings, insisting that it was no place for her to be if danger broke out, and that it was his duty to handle any undesirable situations. She was arguing that she was quite capable of handling combat situations, was trained in medicine, and that other women would be there, too, so sex couldn't rule her out. Smiling to herself at the sight of them, Angel turned her gaze to Duo, who was adamantly describing the finer parts of stealth to Noin, who was teasing him about being too American to be any good at sneaking around. It seemed like one big happy family, but she still felt slightly out of place. Seeming to sense this, Quatre caught her eye and smiled. His eyes seemed to say, _"don't worry, you're already one of us,"_ and she returned the smile and squeezed Duo's hand. He turned to her as well, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, babe, what do you think of getting an apartment on L-2?" he asked, and spent the rest of dinner trying to convince her why moving to L-2 would be great for them both. When everyone finally left, it was nearly midnight, and Angel was exhausted. She and Quatre climbed up the stairs together, weary and yawning.

"Quite a lively group," she commented, and he chuckled. It was a very masculine sound, made deeper by sleepiness, and Angel repressed a shudder.

"Yeah, you could say that again," he agreed, and began pulling off his shirt. She grinned wryly at him as he threw that garment aside and reached for the button on his pants.

"I thought no one was allowed to see your underwear," she murmured, and he flashed her a smile of his own.

"Consider yourself one of the privileged few," he replied, and shucked off his pants. "It's simply too uncomfortable to sleep in pants."

It was impossible not to take a minute to admire him. His bare chest was nicely sculpted and his upper body was shaped much like a "V". His flat stomach and abdomen led down to narrow hips and long legs. He stretched, and Angel found herself resisting the urge to drool. Feeling like a heel for being so attracted to her boyfriend's best friend, she turned her back and ruffled through her suitcase, looking for something to sleep in. Wordlessly, he handed her his shirt. When she looked at him in question, he shrugged.

"I noticed that you sleep in Duo's shirts…since you don't have one of his available, you can borrow one of mine," he explained. She nodded and headed toward the bathroom to brush her teeth and change. By the time she'd finished, he was already in bed. He noticed her hesitation and smiled a little.

"I'm not going to maul you in the night," he assured her, and she smiled a little.

"I know."

"So come here. We're both too tired to feel uncomfortable," he insisted, and she slipped into bed beside him. He drew the blankets up over her, wrapping them both up almost Eskimo style. He'd nearly drifted to sleep when her voice reached his ears.

"I've never slept beside anyone before."

He smiled into the darkness. "Me either."

She turned toward him, slipping an arm beneath her pillow to support her head. "It's kind of nice…really warm," she said needlessly, and he smiled again.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"Well…goodnight."

"Goodnight, Angel," he replied and closed his eyes. After a few long moments, when he was sure she was fast asleep, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She fit comfortably against him, her head nestled neatly into the hollow between his shoulder and his neck. "Duo," he whispered into her ear, "doesn't know what he's missing."

Content, he leaned back and closed his eyes, and sleep claimed him almost instantly. He'd never slept better his whole life.

**__**

A/N: Well, this chapter is a little shorter, but I hope you liked it anyway. I'm really glad that you guys like Angel, because I was a little worried. Thanks for being so awesome about it. I'm still not sure who I'll end up pairing her with, since I like Duo and Quatre both…but I guess we'll have to wait and see, eh? Plus there's Hilde angst on the way…

Anyway, please review and let me know if you liked it. I look forward to hearing from you. Hopefully I'll be able to make the next chapter a little longer…


	3. The Right Start

**__**

A/N: And here's part 3! Same disclaimer applies…I'm sure you guys know the drill. .

SHOUTOUTS: Big thanks to KaT, Horisont, and Yukishin! Glad you guys are liking it so far! I know it's been really fun for me to write. Reviews make it all worth it, don't they?

CHARACTER STATUS: Hilde comes in, so there's a bit of girl angst in this one, plus Sally, Relena, Dorothy, Catherine, and Noin get to know Angel a bit better. Possible catfights between Ang and Hilde in future chapters…but don't worry, I like Hilde so she won't be a shrew (I hope). Dorothy bashing? No, I think she's an interesting character…I also think she scares the crap out of Quatre…lol.

POLLS: Should start up in the next couple of chapters, so keep your eyes open.

LAST NOTE: The updates might be a little slower during weekdays, but I'll try to update fairly often. Also, I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes…once I get going, my fingers have minds of their own. All right, time for the fic…

****

Training Missions

Chapter Three: The Right Start

For one long moment when Quatre woke the next morning, he let himself linger in dreams he had no business having. Then, reluctantly, he shifted in order to get his arm out from under her without waking her up. Still, her eyes fluttered open and peered at him in sleepy confusion. Her blue eyes were cloudy with sleep, and she smiled at him before stretching like a cat.

"Gonna spend the day with the girls today," she told him, rolling slightly away. He nodded and sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning mightily.

"Sounds like fun. I'll bet you'll like Sally a lot. But, uh…if Dorothy has anything sharp, don't let her near you, okay?"

She tossed him a look over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

He grinned a little and shrugged. "She's good with sharp things…I think it's a blood fetish," he told her, and rubbed his index finger lightly over his scar.

"Uh…right, okay." She gathered up a fresh set of clothing and headed to the bathroom. A few seconds later, the shower started to run. Quatre stood and trotted down the stairs, then started the coffee pot and set about making omelets. A few minutes later, there was a knock and then Duo strolled in.

"Hey Q…got enough for me?" he asked, plopping himself down on a stool near the counter. He popped a grape from the fruit bowl into his mouth and grinned. "Where's Ang?"

"In the shower," Quatre replied, breaking a few more eggs to make his friend an omelet. While he let the eggs set in the pan, he diced up onions and tomatoes, tossed some bacon onto a frying pan, and grated cheese.

"Heero wants to meet later to talk about the mission. Think you could mingle with the other guests and get us some suspects?" the braided man asked, moving around the counter to help with the cheese.

"Sure, no problem. Best place for that is probably the guys' locker room next to the gym," Quatre replied, and began tossing the diced vegetables and cheese into the omelet

"Right. I'll start snooping around downstairs, too. Think there's some rich guy funding this little shenanigan?" Duo asked. Quatre shrugged.

"We'll find out. I think that's probably more than likely," he murmured, then they both glanced up as they heard Angel on the stairs. She was drying her hair, dressed tactfully in cream-colored pants and a soft champagne colored shirt. Duo grinned at the sight of her and pulled her tight against him when she reached them.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he said, pressing a kiss onto the top of her head. "Sleep well."

"Yup," she replied. "Missed you."

"I missed you too. All right, you're hanging with the girls today?" he asked, and she nodded. "Great, try and mingle with some of the rich ladies, see if they talk about their husbands dropping any large amounts of money."

"You got it, babe," she said, and tied her hair up into a bun. "All right, I've got a tea date with Relena so I'm going to get out of here. Have a good day, you two. Quatre, I'll see you at the meeting?"

He smiled and nodded. "Sure thing. See you then."

Duo kissed her one last time and let her go. "Have fun with Rel. See ya tonight."

With that, Angel disappeared again. Duo shook his head and grinned. "Anyway, I'm going to start snooping around downstairs. Trowa's already downstairs talking to the hotel security staff, if you want to join him.

"Sounds good," Quatre agreed, and handed Duo an omelet. Then he settled down with his own and dug in. "What's Wufei up to?"

"With Sally, arguing—as usual—about who gets to sit it on Rel's meeting this afternoon. You should go to that, too, by the way…you know, just in case. Heero will be there too, watching Rel's every move, though that's nothing new."

The blonde nodded and flicked his eyes to the set of golf clubs he'd borrowed from a friend at work. "I'll see if I can set up some tee-times with some of the men around here, get friendly. Good thing you taught me how to play poker," he added with a grin.

"Sounds like a plan, then," Duo replied, and picked up his plate, still eating. "I'll catch you later, Quat. Gotta be downstairs to greet the new guests in five minutes."

Quatre waved and headed to shower himself. Twenty minutes later he was downstairs, a gym bag slung loosely over his shoulder.

--

Relena was impeccably dressed, but Angel had come to expect that from her. She smiled at the other woman as she sat down, then self-consciously lowered her gaze. Relena hid a small grin.

"You know, if you're Quatre Winner's wife, you should have more confidence in yourself. Like you did with those reporters," she commented, and Angel glanced up.

"Well, it's not like we're really married," she replied, flushing a little.

"But you are playing a part," the other countered, and she nodded in agreement.

"True. Hey, where are the other ladies?"

Relena shrugged one perfect shoulder, then idly played with a strand of hair that she'd deliberately left loose. The rest of it was piled high on her head in a nearly impossible style that made Angel envious to the core. Her own hair, just wavy enough to be unruly, barely stayed in a bun.

"Sally and Noin should be joining us, and Hilde and Catherine will meet us at the beauty parlor for our nail and hair appointments later on," the politician replied.

"Sounds good. Manicures, eh?"

"And pedicures. It goes a long way to making a girl feel really good."

Angel nodded with a laugh. "All feminine and delicate," she agreed. She opened her mouth to say more, but Sally and Noin walked in before she could. Sally, smiling warmly and smoothing her sweater down as she took a seat, looked awake, aware, and content.

"Win a fight with Wufei?" Relena guessed knowingly. Noin laughed.

"By a landslide. I don't think Wufei will recover from this one," she answered, and Sally shrugged a little, still looking pleased.

"You just have to be firm with him, that's all," she said, and Relena rolled her eyes.

"If it were that easy, we'd all be so lucky with him as you are."

Angel laughed quietly. "I take it he's a handful."

"You don't know the half of it," Relena assured her, and Noin leaned forward.

"It's like he loves to bug women, constantly reminding them that they are the weaker sex."

"With Sally as a partner?" Angel questioned, and the other ladies exchanged amused glances.

"Sometime I think she's the only one who'll ever be able to tame him," Relena answered. Noin shot Sally a mischievous look.

"I've got a few theories on how she does it, too," she whispered conspiratorially. Sally threw a napkin at her.

"Do you mind? We're in public!"

"So is he tougher to live with than Duo?" Angel asked, feeling instantly comfortable with all of the ladies at the table. She was eager to hear more about the infamous pilots.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Sally murmured, glancing Relena's way. "Duo's quite a handful, isn't he?"

"I'd say so," the other replied, and Noin smiled widely.

"I think he's crazy."

"That's funny," Angel murmured dryly, though she couldn't hide her smile, "sometimes I think the same thing." The others laughed.

"Angel," Sally managed through slight giggles a few moments later, "you're going to fit right in."

Not too long after that the four of them joined Hilde and Catherine at the parlor. Angel eyed the dark-haired girl a little nervously. While she found Hilde very likeable, she always felt a little envious of her relationship with Duo. Likewise, Hilde felt threatened slightly by the shorter woman. She'd always wanted a relationship with Duo, but somehow Angel had managed to catch his eye. Still, both women got along with each other surprisingly well, and exchanged graceful nods. Catherine beamed brightly and led them inside, where Dorothy was already getting her nails done. The six of them settled into chairs nearby and were soon immersed in lively conversation about the guys.

"Does anyone else here think Quatre's amazingly sexy?" Catherine asked, and six startled pairs of eyes turned to her. She flushed a little but didn't back down. "Come on, you know it's true. It's like, all of a sudden he grew up and man did it do him good."

"He has changed," Dorothy agreed, and Relena laughed.

"If I were into blondes, he'd be the one I'd go for," she added.

"But brunettes are more your type, right Relena?" Hilde shot, and the blonde girl turned bright red.

"Shut up!" she replied.

"I think Quatre's pretty good looking…he's not tall enough, though," Sally commented, and Angel chuckled.

"For you, maybe…they're all too tall for me. I fit right under Quatre's chin, and when I look up at Duo I get a sore neck from having to bend my head back so far," she replied.

"Speaking of Duo…they say certain things only get better with age," Sally tossed in with a mischievous wink. That comment was followed with laughter as well.

"If you ever had to live in the mess he calls an apartment, you might change your mind," Angel told her, rolling her eyes a bit. "Ages go by and the only thing that grows are the piles on his floor."

Hilde groaned. "_Tell_ me about it. He came by to help me with the salvage place, and in less than a day I couldn't find anything. At least my piles were somewhat organized…I'll never figure out how his mind works."

"Who needs to?" Relena asked with a shrug. "He's pretty enough that it doesn't matter."

"And at least he talks," Catherine added with a small sigh. "Trowa hardly ever says anything, unless he's either really happy, really sad, or really pissed off."

Dorothy grinned. "It's probably better that way. It only ruins it when they talk."

"You speak from experience?" Noin asked, and Dorothy shrugged.

"Maybe," she replied cryptically.

"Actually, she's right," Sally said suddenly, glancing up from her nails. "If Wufei would just shut up every once in a while, we might actually get along."

"You know he likes you," Relena said, her voice taking on a singsong quality as she teased her older friend. "That's just his way of showing it." Sally rolled her eyes and turned her focus back to her nails.

"Yeah, well if he'd ever just open up and tell me, he might be surprised."

"Ahh…do I sense a pent-up attraction here?" Angel asked, though she already knew the answer. Sally flushed a little and shrugged.

"Does that really merit a response?" she asked, and the others shook their heads. Relena smiled and calmed them all down, deciding to get to business.

"The first meeting is this afternoon…I take it you'll be there, Sal?" she asked, and the older woman nodded. "Great. Angel, how's your part going?"

"Operation Marital Bliss is now in commission," Angel replied with a slight smile. "I've got a luncheon with several colonists this very morning, in fact, and Quatre's mingling with the men. Am I invited to the meeting?"

"Feel free," Relena replied with a nod. "Cathy and Hilde, I trust you're here to look after Trowa and Duo, respectively."

"You know us so well," Hilde replied, and Catherine suppressed a slight laugh.

"Dorothy will be with me…and Noin will be monitoring everything from the security room with Trowa…I think we've covered all the bases on this one," Relena said, and Sally let out a long sigh.

"Let's hope you're right, before we all get blown sky high."

"What a cheery thought," Angel muttered, and they all laughed. It was with reluctance that she parted with them to attend her luncheon, feeling for once as though she belonged. She didn't have too many female companions, since her training to become a Preventer had kept her fairly busy and her life otherwise was rather dull. It felt good to be comparing the good and bad qualities of the pilots with the other girls, and they all seemed to know each other and the guys very well. It felt more like a vacation than a mission, but the atmosphere would soon change if they turned up anything.

--

The luncheon was a huge success. Not only did Angel turn up several suspects, she had invitations to several other get-togethers such as dinner parties, Tupperware parties, and a couple other luncheons, as well. She suspected that this was because of her 'marriage' to Quatre, but a few of the ladies seemed to genuinely like her. She felt a little bad about deceiving them, but for the safety of herself and several others, it was absolutely necessary to make them believe that she and Quatre were happy paired. She found herself enjoying the roll of hostess, even if it was a rather dull event. She even found she liked being called "Mrs. Winner." She felt a little guilty about that, considering she should be admiring the sound of "Mrs. Maxwell" instead, but there was no help for it. Finally she settled into a bath and pulled out the book she'd brought along. She had just over two hours to get ready for Relena's meeting, where she'd meet up with Quatre and hopefully see Duo, before joining the others for dinner.

Hilde, meanwhile, was sitting in Duo's room at the hotel, which he'd graciously allowed her to borrow while she crashed at the hotel. He, being an insomniac, hardly used the room he'd been given, anyway. All the employees had a room, none quite so grand as the suite Quatre was staying in, but nice just the same. She stared at her surroundings for a while before wandering over to the bed, touching the linens that draped over it softly. She felt hopeless. She really liked Duo, but he really liked Angel. The two weeks they'd spent working together had been really amazing for her, and she thought that Duo felt the same way. But then Angel was back and it was like she didn't even exist anymore. It was, all in all, starting to get a little frustrating.

"Since when," she muttered aloud, "did best friends forever become a curse rather than a blessing?"

And, off in her own room, Sally was trying to puzzle out Wufei. He'd been particularly moody lately, often snapping without much reason. She'd chalked it up to stress, but that seemed like a feeble explanation. And with the mission taking up most of time, and considering that he was prone to bite her head off for any little comment these days, it didn't seem likely that she'd get a chance to talk it out with him, either. Rolling her eyes, she pulled out her pants suit for the meeting, then hesitated. Wufei had told her once that she looked much better in skirts, much more feminine. For the life of her she couldn't figure out why the urge to acquiesce to his desires came from, but she found herself pulling out a skirt anyway. Shaking her head, she muttered, "Maybe he's on to something with all that weak women garbage," and pulled on the skirt.

Relena was also preoccupied with a pilot. Then again, for the past seven years he'd been on her mind more often than not, and it was something she'd grown used to over time. Heero Yuy's distance made him that much more memorable, and she found herself remembering all of the times their paths had crossed. He was illusive, unreachable, supposedly unfeeling, and wasn't around most of the time, and yet she was drawn to him like a moth to flame. It was dangerous, she knew it. She was supposed to be looking into sensible, practical marriage prospects, but every time she'd pictured a family, he was a part of it. She'd even considered Quatre—it made perfect sense, considering his family name and talent for politics—but she couldn't bring herself to go through with it, even in her head. With a sigh, thinking herself crazy for the trillionth time since meeting Heero, she set about fixing her makeup.

Catherine's thoughts were on both Trowa and Quatre. She was concerned for Trowa's welfare, and helplessly attracted to his best friend. She hadn't thought much of Quatre at first, but as the years passed and his visits to the circus to see Trowa started to include her more, she found herself taking a liking to the heir. He wasn't at all what she'd expected him to be. And then of course, he'd changed as time passed as well, becoming handsome and tall, and she'd developed a little crush on him.

"Oh yeah, like that's possible…the Winner heir and a circus act," she said with a frustrated groan, and flopped down on the bed, desiring a nap before facing the others at dinner.

--

Quatre stood nervously next to Dorothy, waiting for the meeting to start. His eyes scanned the doorway as ambassadors, representatives and politicians poured into the conference room. He hoped he'd be able to pick Angel out, since she was a good deal shorter than everyone else. Sally had taken a position at the far end of the room, her chair a little elevated so she could keep an eye on everyone. Relena was arranging things on the podium, looking as put-together and calm as always. Duo was setting up the refreshment table toward the rear of the room, and Heero was standing ominously behind Relena's chair. Wufei agreed to let Sally attend, but not one to sit out himself, he was guarding the door with a scowl that had most people looking nervous as they came in. He took in all of this in one glance, and was starting to get worried when he saw Angel stroll in like a breeze of fresh air. She took her place at his side with a small smile, and Relena motioned for everyone to take their seats.

The meeting went much as they always did, covering many of the same issues. Naturalists from Earth stood to argue that the colonists didn't understand their way of life, and the colonists came back with comments stating that the naturalists didn't understand their day-to-day struggles and were only interested in the natural resources space had to offer. Relena argued that both sides had something to benefit from if Unification came into being, but her critics said that due to distance and prejudices on both sides, her project was little more than an overly-idealistic dream. All the while, Heero kept constant watch, hardly even blinking. Sally prowled slowly up and down aisles of chairs. Dorothy took questions and made notes. Angel turned to Quatre.

"Things tend to get worked up, don't they?" she whispered.

"Oh yeah. Both sides are very passionate. I'm for Unification, myself, but a lot of colonists aren't."

Angel nodded. "I'm a mutt, myself, so I guess I can't really be against Unification," she replied, also scanning the crowd.

The meeting wrapped up without incident, but this only seemed to trouble Heero. Relena took it all in stride, calling out good-byes as everyone left the way they'd come in.

"You obviously believe that something's up," Quatre commented as he and Angel joined Heero. The other man nodded, his eyes flicking around the room once more.

"Yeah. Why pass up such a golden opportunity? I think they're up to something big."

Sally shook her head. "That's precisely what I didn't want to hear, but I guess it's my job to take care of it anyway." She nodded to her raven-haired partner as he joined the small group.

"Let's head up to Winner's suite and see if Trowa and Noin noticed anything we didn't catch," he suggested, and Heero grabbed Relena's arm, urging her toward the elevator. She made a comment too low for the others to hear, but from the mildly amused/annoyed look on his face, Angel assumed that Heero had just been made the butt of a personal joke. Everyone regrouped and was on the elevator up mere moments later.

--

When they arrived at the suite, several others were waiting. In addition to the meeting group, which had consisted of Relena, Dorothy, Sally, Wufei, Quatre, Angel, Duo, and Heero, there was Trowa and Noin who'd been watching from the security room, and Catherine and Hilde, who appeared to be along for the ride. They all settled down around the table.

"Did you notice anything from the cameras, Trowa?" Quatre asked. Trowa shook his head and sighed.

"Nothing amiss there."

"It all seemed pretty normal," Noin agreed.

"I'll prowl around in the basement tomorrow and see if the hotel's got a rat problem," Duo told them, and Angel smirked at him.

"Or an extermination problem," she agreed, and he smiled at her.

"Do that," Heero said, nodding to the braided man.

"A good idea from Maxwell? Absurd," Wufei commented teasingly. Duo stuck his tongue out at his comrade in response.

"None of that…you might start a food fight," Relena warned, and Hilde playfully flicked a carrot Duo's way.

"See what you've done?" Angel said accusingly, and Duo gave her an innocent look.

"It's not my fault that Wufei can't help but snipe at me."

Dorothy sighed. "Be serious. If we can't find these guys, then what?"

"Then we comb the area and see if there are any other places for terrorists to be grouping at. If not, we write it off as a bad tip and move the search elsewhere," Sally replied with a shrug.

"Frustrating job," Catherine murmured, and the older girl rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea." That was paired with a pointed look at Wufei, who appeared indignant.

They shoved aside any more mission talk for after dinner, resolving to enjoy each other's company while they ate. After dinner and a lengthy discussion about their next step, Angel and Quatre were left alone in their suite again.

"How was your day, dear?" Quatre asked with a smirk as they did the dishes side by side. Catching the joke, she played along.

"Just fine, darling. I met the most delightful lady at my luncheon. She told me all about the finer points of gardening and caring for children. Fascinating, really," she replied, and he laughed.

"So you were bored out of your mind?"

"Utterly." She grinned. "But it was worth it. I've got some leads."

He nodded and dried off his hands, then tossed her the towel so she could do the same. "I'm exhausted…let's got to bed."

"What a romantic," she replied sarcastically with an eye-roll, but allowed him to tug her up the stairs. "You could at least spice it up a bit. No wonder you're still single."

"Okay…let's go to bed, _love-errrr…_" he said, drawing the last bit out in a sensual purr. She laughed at him.

"Oh yeah, very sexy," she told him, and tweaked his nose. "Can I borrow another shirt?"

"Help yourself," he agreed, and stripped down to his boxers again. He followed her into the bathroom to brush his teeth, then left her to change. A few moments later, she slipped into bed beside him.

"Mm…well, goodnight," she said.

"Goodnight, Angel," he replied, settling down into the bed and drawing her close. She hesitated for a moment, then allowed herself to be tugged against his chest.

_Think Duo, _she chanted to herself. _Think Duo._

A few minutes later, she was fast asleep in Quatre's arms, and he toyed with her hair gently. Then he closed his eyes and relaxed, feeling absurdly happy just to be keeping someone safe and warm. Dreams took him then, and he couldn't be bothered until morning.

**__**

A/N: Too much Angel in that chap? I hope not. I wanted to focus on the others, too…I really like the thought of all the ladies discussing the guys and their qualities, the good and the bad. Please keep reviewing, you guys are awesome! Ciao!


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